UTD Machine Shop

Recommendation
Arjun Singh
What is a Machine
Shop?
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

• Fabricate various engineering parts

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• How?
• Subtractive manufacturing
• Tolerance-based machining

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UTD Machine Shop
• Opened in 2013
• Serves research groups and senior design
students mainly
• Decreases wait time for parts/alterations
• Run by Mark Powell
• Shop Manager
• TI Machinist 30+ years
• Student Shop Managers Consortium
 Mills
Lathes
Machine
Tools Cutters
Carbon Fiber 3D Printer
Welding Machines
Lathe
• Rotates part rapidly This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

• Removes material with respect to radius and z-

axis

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Mill
• Cuts material with rotating endmill
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• Can move in XYZ space

• Extension—5-axis machine
• Rotates two axes in addition
 Metal 3D Printer

New
Wire EDM
Technologies
5-Axis CNC
CNC Lathe
Computer Numerical
Control
• Speed and movement of part
controlled by computer
• Uses G-Code or conversational
language
Wire EDM
• Uses electrical forces to cut part
• Doesn’t exert vertical cutting/tearing pressure
on part
• Very small wires used for high precision

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Sintering
• Solidifies powdered metal
• Potentially sturdier than cast parts
• Main method to 3D print metals

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Comparison

• Cost/Maintenance
• Functionality
• Training
 Material Type

Functionality Speed

Part Complexity
Training
Cost

Component Approximate Cost

Metal 3D Printer < $100,000

CNC 5-Axis Machine $50,000 - $150,000

CNC Lathe $45,000 - $60,000

Wire EDM $12,000 - $24,000

Recurring/Additional Expenses

• 3D Printer
• Material
• Furnace
• Wire EDM
• Lubricant/Coolant
• Deionized Water
• Cutting Wire
• CNC 5-Axis Machine
• Repairs (Automated Tool Switcher)
• Potential CAM upgrades
Recommendation: Wire EDM
• Increases capabilities of shop
• High precision—less processing
• Doesn’t replace student accessible machines
• Cost-effective
Works Cited
• Images either taken personally or obtained through Creative
Commons License